This invention relates generally to condenser coil units and, more specifically, to method and apparatus for the vertical stacking of one on another
A so called "split system" in air conditioning parlance includes an outdoor, or condenser coil and an indoor or evaporator coil, with the two being interconnected by way of refrigerant lines. The system is normally designed such that the size and capacity of the outdoor coil is matched with that of the indoor coil to thereby obtain high efficiency performance.
There are occasions when multiple outdoor and/or indoor coils are used in the system. For example, in a so called "multiplex" system, a single outdoor coil may serve to operate with multiple indoor coils which are dispersed in various locations within the building. Or there may, for example, be two outdoor coils that serve three or more indoor coils in the same manner.
Another multiple coil arrangement may involve the use of a plurality of relatively low capacity outdoor coils connected in cascade fashion to serve a single or plural indoor coils. One advantage to such an arrangement is that a plurality of smaller units are easier to handle than a single large unit, in terms of storage, shipping, repair and replacement. With a multiple outdoor coil arrangement, it is preferred to have the coils in close proximity to each other, and a stacking arrangement is generally preferred over a side by side arrangement. With such a stacking arrangement, it is recognized that an unstable condition may exist, especially where the height of the units are greater than the width or thickness thereof. Provision must therefore be made to prevent the upper unit from sliding off, or tipping over, from the lower unit. In this regard, it is further recognized that such outdoor units may be exposed to rain, ice, and high wind conditions.
A possible approach is to provide an external frame structure around the two coils. However, such an arrangement is relatively expensive, complicated, and tends to limit access to the units for service. Another possibility is that of supporting the upper coil from an adjacent structure such as the side wall of the building. This again, limits access to the upper unit and tends to detract from the appearance of the system.
To further complicate the requirements for such a stacked system, it is recognized that the upper unit may have bolt heads and other such structure extending from its lower surface to prevent it from being placed directly on the upper surface of the lower unit. Further, the lower of the stacked units may be mounted on a base sitting on the ground or it may be mounted to a wall. Also, the upper unit may be either the same size or smaller than the lower unit.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a practical means of stacking one condenser unit on another.
Another object of the present invention is the provision in a stacked coil arrangement for preventing the upper unit from sliding off or tipping over.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision for simply and economically securing one unit over another without limiting access thereto. These objects and other features and advantages become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.